Scrutiny of big tech intensifies around the world

Scrutiny of the big technology companies intensified around the world this year, as regulators and lawmakers stepped up their examination of the power, practices and effects of the technology giants, marking a significant shift in the relationship between the platforms and the authorities.

The intensifying scrutiny encompassed a range of concerns, including the market power and competitive practices of the dominant companies, their handling of personal data and privacy, their role in the spread of misinformation, and their broader effects on society, democracy and the economy.

Regulators in various jurisdictions pursued investigations, enforcement actions and new rules, examining issues from antitrust and competition to data protection and content, as the authorities grappled with how to address the power of companies that had grown enormously influential.

The scrutiny reflected a broader shift in the public and political mood toward the technology giants, as the earlier enthusiasm gave way to growing concern about their dominance, their accountability and their effects, following a series of scandals and controversies.

The companies, for their part, faced mounting pressure to address the concerns, defending their practices while contending with investigations, regulations and calls for greater accountability and, in some cases, for measures to curb their power.

The intensifying scrutiny of big tech marked an important development in the evolving relationship between the platforms and society, as the authorities and the public increasingly questioned the power and practices of the technology giants. It signalled the beginning of a more assertive approach by regulators and lawmakers, foreshadowing the intensifying efforts to govern the platforms that would unfold in the years ahead, a defining feature of the era in technology and media.